


My One Exception

by robliz



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 10:18:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9717995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robliz/pseuds/robliz
Summary: Bernie's fringe keeps getting in her eyes. Serena is driven to distraction by it so decides to do something about it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know where this came from. The idea appeared in my head and wouldn't leave until I had written it down. Enjoy!

“I don’t know how you see anything behind that ridiculous fringe of yours,” Serena commented as she watched Bernie push her fringe out of her eyes for what felt like the thousandth time that morning.

“I thought you liked my hair,” remarked Bernie, looking across at Serena sat at the desk opposite, “You told Jason it was like rays of sunlight that had got caught up in a tornado.”

“I did?” She had no memory of this but anything that happened before coffee in the mornings was beyond her control.

“Yeah. He asked me what it meant the other day.”

“Hmm,” Serena said thoughtfully, “Maybe I do like your hair but that is beside the point. Why don’t you go to a hairdresser’s and get that fringe sorted out at least?”

“No time,” answered Bernie, “Too much paperwork.” She indicated the large stack of files balanced precariously on the edge of her desk.

Serena sighed. This conversation clearly wasn’t going anywhere. She picked up the next file on her own stack and started looking through it, trying to ignore Bernie who was once again fiddling with her fringe.

It annoyed Serena all day. She thought about breaking into Jasmine’s locker to see if she had any spare clips. She contemplated just sneaking up behind Bernie with a pair of surgical scissors and dealing with it that way. She almost suggested that Bernie kept her surgical cap on after they had been in theatre. At least there the blasted fringe was tucked out of the way. She wasn’t even sure why it was annoying her so much. But it was. And something had to be done.

They both finished at the same time that evening and Bernie drove them back to Serena’s house. Serena worried slightly that Bernie would be unable to see the road in front of her what with her fringe but she seemed to manage fine. Once inside the house, Bernie busied herself finding a bottle of wine and setting the table while Serena threw together a quick Bolognese. Jason joined them for the meal but disappeared off upstairs afterwards mentioning something about making a card for Celia’s birthday.

“Do let us know if you need any help,” Serena called up the stairs as he vanished into his room.

Bernie took the opportunity of them being alone to pull Serena onto her lap and kiss her gently. She pulled back and tried to look Serena in the eye. Serena sighed as she pushed Bernie’s fringe aside.

“We really do need to do something about this fringe,” she exclaimed, “I never get to see your beautiful eyes anymore.”

Bernie blushed and looked down.

“Will you let me book you a hairdresser’s appointment?” Serena asked.

Bernie glanced back up at Serena, her eyes full of horror. Her arms tightened around Serena’s waist.

“What’s the matter? You’ve gone all tense.”

Bernie just shook her head and said nothing.

“Come on sweetheart, tell me what’s wrong,” Serena cajoled, running her fingers gently across Bernie’s cheek.

“I…I…” Bernie stuttered. Serena kissed her cheek to encourage her. “I don’t like hairdressers.”

Serena looked at her with a puzzled expression. “What do you mean?”

Bernie’s face was fire red with embarrassment now. “I don’t like hairdressers,” she repeated quietly.

“Why ever not?” Serena probed.

Bernie was silent for a moment before continuing. “I don’t like people touching me. And I don’t like how they always expect you to talk to them. And they use strange products in my hair that I don’t understand.” Her voice was almost a whisper by the end.

“Oh Bernie,” Serena sighed, “You should have said.”

“It’s fine,” Bernie replied, “I usually just do my own.”

Serena stood up and pulled Bernie to her feet as well.

“We are going to get this fringe sorted out now,” she said, “Get into the shower and wash your hair. I’ll dig out the scissors and I will cut your fringe. No strange products will be used. I won’t even talk if that would make you feel better. Touching will have to happen but I think that whole ‘I don’t like people touching me’ thing doesn’t exactly apply to me now does it?”

Serena ran her hand up and down Bernie’s arm as she watched the cogs turn silently in Bernie’s mind.

“Do you know how to cut hair?” Bernie asked, finally finding her voice.

“I used to trim Elinor’s sometimes when she was little,” Serena answered.

Bernie nodded. “Okay,” she whispered, “Thank you. That would be great.”

She smiled and then headed up the stairs to the ensuite. Serena heard the shower turn on before she went upstairs herself and began searching her drawers for the hair scissors. It had been a very long time since they had been used.

By the time Bernie had appeared back downstairs wrapped in a dressing gown, her wet hair plastered against her head, Serena was all prepared. She’d laid a sheet down in the dining room to catch the hair and placed a chair onto it. The scissors were on the table along with a comb and a brush and she had found an old towel and a clip to create a makeshift hairdresser’s gown. Serena indicated the chair and Bernie sat down obediently. Serena pulled the towel around Bernie’s shoulders and fastened it with the clip.

“Would you like me to give your hair a trim all over or just the fringe?” Serena asked, her hands on Bernie’s shoulders.

There was a flash of fear in Bernie’s eyes. Serena squeezed her shoulders to reassure her.

“All over would be good.” Bernie’s voice had gone quiet again. Serena thought that Bernie had not been telling the whole truth when it came to her feelings about hairdressers. This was more than a simple dislike. She didn’t push though. That conversation was one for another day. Today, she just wanted to sort out Bernie’s hair.

Bernie closed her eyes as Serena began to brush her hair through. Serena alternated running the brush and her fingers through Bernie’s wet hair. She really did love touching Bernie’s hair. She thought back to the comment Bernie had made this morning. Had she really told Jason that Bernie’s hair was like rays of sunshine? She usually thought of it more as angel hair.

Once Bernie’s hair was brushed, Serena picked up the comb and the scissors. Section by section, she went around Bernie’s head, combing the hair flat before trimming about an inch off the bottom. She left the fringe until last. Bernie sat completely still and silent throughout the whole process.

Eventually Serena reached Bernie’s fringe. She combed it through and was surprised to see Bernie’s eyes open underneath it. There was no more fear evident in Bernie’s eyes. If anything, Serena thought, they were full of desire.

“You need to close your eyes for this bit,” Serena said, “Don’t want you to get hair in your eyes.”

She watched as Bernie’s eyes flickered shut. Then she drew the scissors up to Bernie’s forehead. Bernie gasped and her hands reached out and grasped Serena’s hips.

“It’s okay, darling,” comforted Serena. She cut the fringe as quickly and neatly as she could. Bernie kept her hands on Serena’s hips the entire time.

“All done,” she said as she cut the last strand of hair. Bernie let her hands drop from Serena’s hips.

Serena reached over to place the scissors and comb back down on the table. She picked up the brush again and began to brush out Bernie’s new, shorter hair. Bernie groaned as the brush swept through her hair, over and over again. Serena looked down at her.

“You alright?” she asked, “I didn’t hurt you did I?”

Bernie grabbed her and pulled her down into her lap for the second time that evening. Serena caught a glimpse of Bernie’s eyes flashing with desire before she felt Bernie’s lips crash into her own. She let herself get lost in the kiss, in the feel of Bernie’s strong arms wrapping around her waist and pushing up her blouse to get access to the bare skin beneath.

Bernie pulled back for a moment, her hands reaching up to undo Serena’s bra strap.

“Thank you,” she said firmly, “Thank you. You are by far the best hairdresser I have ever had.”

Bernie’s hands slipped out from Serena’s blouse and she missed the contact for a moment before Bernie began undoing the buttons at the front.

“I think we need to take this upstairs,” Serena determined.

Bernie nodded. “Definitely,” she said breathlessly.

“I might even dry your hair for you,” Serena quipped, “Give you the full hairdresser experience!”

Bernie growled as she pulled the pair of them to their feet and used Serena’s hand to guide her up the stairs. Serena briefly thought about the mess they were leaving behind in the dining room before deciding that that was a problem for another day.

“I might just take you up on that offer,” Bernie said as the door to Serena’s bedroom slammed shut behind them. She pressed Serena back again the door, placing kisses all over her face.

“Even though you don’t like hairdressers?” Serena questioned between kisses.

“You are, as always, my one exception.”


End file.
